Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Chocolate Molten Cakes in a Cupcake Pan

When I first started my catering business I wrote all of my favorite recipes in a little blue journal book so I'd have them with me all of the time. Over the years I've shared a couple of recipes from this little journal, but not all. Truthfully, when I started this blog (forever ago...?) I was a burnt out on all of those recipes I'd made hundreds of times.Now, after a four year break from the catering business, I am ready to dive back in to some of those old favorites, because after all, they were really great recipes for entertaining. This Chocolate Molten Cake recipe was one of my first and best go-to's as a caterer. I always served it at dinner parties - with great success. The ingredients and supplies are humble - chocolate chips and a cupcake pan! They work great for parties because the batter is made in advance, then baked right before dessert and served warm.I made these last year for a friends dinner. While the recipe makes 6-12, they work great in the freezer. Just bake all of them together, then freeze the leftovers. You can reheat in the microwave for just 30-60 seconds.

Now, onto the recipe, perfect for any celebration....

Chocolate Molten Cakes

makes 6 medium cakes or 12 small individual cakesSign-up here for an emailed version of my Printable Recipes.2 tablespoons of butter, melted2 tablespoons of cocoa......3/4 cup of butter12 ounce of chocolate chips1/2 cup of heavy cream 5 eggs3/4 cup sugar2/3 cup of flourPrepare cupcake pans by coating the inside of each with melted butter by swirling it around. Then sprinkle the insides with cocoa, coating completely. To make the batter, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, then top it with butter and cream. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is smooth. When chocolate has cooled slightly, stir in eggs, sugar and flour. Pour into prepared cupcake pans. Refrigerate for 1 hour (at least) and up to a couple of days.Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes for regular 12/pan size and 15-18 for jumbo 6/pan size, just until the outsides and most of the top have set, and the centers are still slightly runny. You can insert the tip of a knife to test. You just want a bit of the very center to be a thick pudding like texture. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then place a sheet pan on top of the muffin pan and invert them. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream and dusted with chocolate or cinnamon.

Melting chocolate with the butter and cream this way is so easy - microwave!

The pans buttered and cocoa-ed while the chocolate is in the microwave.

Perfectly melted.

You can fill them almost all the way to the top - they don't puff too much.

When I look back to my favorite classic images of Christmas homes, tables and trees, I always find myself gravitating toward those that feel timeless, with warm colors and lovely natural elements as the centerpiece. My perfect Holiday Home is filled with big, over abundant fresh greenery, warm gold tones, rich velvet and satin ribbons, natural elements of acorns, fruit and pinecones, tall glowing taper candles and kraft paper packages, all settled into worn wood antiques, neutral upholstery and accents. I've tried to translate that feel into this Holiday Collection, which includes simple ways to incorporate all of those feel good images for your Holiday, and little treasures and ideas for stocking stuffers and creative hostess gifts.

This view probably feels familiar by now. I love to show you how just adding a couple of elements each season, your home can gracefully evolve with each season. The essential elements are the same (Wood Block Print Cushion Covers, The Softest Throws, Gold Frames), but the accents bring the sense of season.

It is a bit too early for us to have an actual Christmas Tree, but this Antique Fir Tree Print brings a bit of classic christmas cheer to this corner. The prints are so inexpensive ($4-6) that it is easy to switch them out every season.

I have been so excited to get these candles in stock. I carry them every year and give them to my friends and family as gifts at Thanksgiving. Only available during the holiday season (the candle company only makes one batch!) they are my favorite hostess gift to give during the holidays.

The natural scent that these candles have from the Bayberry is warm, earthy and just a bit spicy. If you've ever visited Nantucket, the scent of the Bayberry shrubs greet you as you get off of the fairy - completely nostalgic and comforting. The candles were among the most prized candles in colonial America because of their clear, consistent light and warm scent.

The card that is enclosed with the candles tells the history of using Bayberry Candles at Christmastime :

"These tapers are handcrafted using the purest bayberry wax. Bayberry wax is the rarest and most prized of all candle waxes, and has a warm, earthy, spicy aroma. According to tradition, to bring good luck, you must burn a Bayberry Candle on Christmas Day. If the flame burns bright and the light shines clear, then heaven will bless you throughout the year."

We always make an effort to incorporate the Christmas Story into as many of our Holiday activities as we can. Sometimes with all of the visits to Santa, decorating the tree, and parties, the true meaning of Christmas can easily get lost in the bustle, especially for children. When I saw this very special collection of Copper Cutters in the form of a Nativity scene, I knew that this would be a great "Nativity" set for my kitchen window sill.

I'll look forward to spending some time with Emma as we make and decorate these - it might be a fleeting moment of a brief story, but incorporating it into our Holiday tradition, then passing these cutters down to her, will help her continue the tradition.

All sizes of the Baking Baskets are back in stock. I have some great ideas for these that include wrapping them in parchment, then in a tea towel and ribbon that I think will be my favorite Hostess Gift for the season. Stay tuned... speaking of gifts...

This is another departure from my typical product selection (as were the wraps last season), but more and more I realize that this store is really just a collection of my very favorite things.

My friend introduced me to these earrings in college and they've been a staple in my wardrobe since. I get endless compliments on them - most people think they are real ; ) They are perfectly understated, with just the right amount of sparkle.

This is the style that I've been wearing on a daily basis lately. I wear them everyday and they look perfectly delicate and special with anything and everything. They wrap all the way around the earlobe, making them so sensible and comfy for everyday, too.

Gold or Silver available in most styles.

Each pair comes packaged in a muslin sachet, tucked in a slate grey jewelry box, and tied with a Small Velvet Ribbon... perfect on size fits all stocking stuffers for the girls in your life. They are affordable enough to be a great Hostess Gift for a special dinner and are always the best birthday present for a girlfriend.

As I've mentioned before, I have a very simple closet with mostly basics. I rely on classic accessories like wraps and jewelry to take me from dressing up to down, and season to season. These Crystal huggie style earrings are my dress-up earrings that can make a white oxford shirt with flats look dressy enough for a festive party. They are also my to-go for formal events, and they look completely classic with satin or silk.

Pretty and tempting. I was wondering if you could tell us where you bought the brown paper bags for your bread and flowers. Are they bigger than a regular size of gift bag? Is it possible to purchase them on line?Have a nice day Jenny.Liz

I am definitley trying this recipe! Have wanted to make molten cakes for a while. This recipe makes it easy, especially becasue you can make part of it in advance. Looks like I've found dessert for Saturday night.

Also, I keep all my tried and true recipes in a binder - so it's easy to take them all along on vacation (and I dont'have to wonder which cookbook they're from). Of course now I can just look most of them up on my blog.

Victoria - You can melt the chocolate, butter and cream in a double boiler on the stove. Just use a heatproof glass bowl and place it on the top of a pan of simmering water. Make sure to not have the water touching the bowl and make sure the water just simmers, not boils. It should just take a couple of minutes!

Victoria, you can carry out the melting process with use of a double boiler. If you don't have that, then take the chips on a small pan, boil water in a larger pot and place the pan with the chips on the water surface. Wait until they melt, add the butter, etc. Whisk until thoroughly combined, then remove from the pan. Ta Da.

I have also had good luck with heating the butter to a simmer on the stove, then removing and stirring in the chocolate chips until melted. I typically burn the chocolate in the microwave and get frustrated chasing a small bowl around a pot of simmering water while trying not to get steam burns. just have to find the method that works best for you :) happy cooking

Molten cakes are one of my favorite recipes but I usually make them in ramekins. This weekend we are having two families to dinner and I only have 6 ramekins-- your cupcake pan idea saved me! I will be making these tomorrow. Thanks!

We made these for dessert tonight and they were perfect! I loved that I could make them last night and not have to worry about them while prepping for company. They were beautiful and delicious. At first I thought they weren't cooked through but decided to take them out anyway. They were perfect, and the center was rich and velvety smooth. So fun! Thanks!

I just made these. They were very good. However, they did not easily come out of the cupcake pan. Next time, I will spray the inside of the pan with Pam. I used milk chocolate chips since the recipe did not specify. next time I will use dark chocolate chips. They were really delicious!!!

Made these tonight. So yummy! I used half and half instead of heavy cream and Hershey's chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips b/c that's what I had on hand, but they were still delicious. Very similar to a dessert we had on a cruise we went on and I've been wanting ever since. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

It might have been your oven, either an older oven that the temp isn't right(use an oven thermometer to double check) or your rack was too close to the coils and cooked a little quicker than if you had left it farther away.

Cookies, pies and cakes are delicious, but everyone knows that cupcakes are the perfect party treat. Not too big and not too small, cupcakes are a delightfully versatile dessert that can be served on paper plates at a picnic or presented in an elegant, statuesque tower at a wedding or other formal celebration. Birthday Cake Toppers

Hey Jenny I've made your recipe a few times and I must say the chocolate molten cakes it produces are the best I've ever had so thank you. I just have a quick question - do you remove your cupcake pan (that's been allowed to set for at least 1 hour) from the fridge and place directly into a preheated 450 degree oven? or do you remove the pan from the fridge for a few minutes to warm at room temp before baking? Thanks!

Can I bake these ahead and warm in the microwave? I was planning on taking them to my son's who lives 8 hours away and I'm afraid to take them in the unbaked state, but I don't want them to turn solid in the middle. Any suggestions?

What settings would you recommend for reheating in the microwave? I tried 30 secs on high and it became sponge cake like. Would you recommend reheating in the oven? Thanks for the recipe by the way, it was amazing!!! :)

These were terrible. I've been cooking almost everyday for nearly a decade and my husband and everyone else has liked everything I have cooked. But he wouldn't eat these. I didn't like them either. Don't waste your quality ingredients like me.

Brought these to a friend's house for dessert. It was a cold day and wanted something warm and these were perfect! Brought the prepared cupcake pans and then baked them right after dinner. Everyone loved them. Especially good served right out of the oven with vanilla ice cream. This recipe is a keeper!

This recipe is absolutely fabulous! I made this on a whim and my whole family loved them and now request them all the time. The recipe is so easy it's incredible, worth every quality ingredient in them!

These look delicious! I am planning on cutting down the recipe to make 2 or 4 cakes in individual cupcake pans. Do you think this would impact the cook time? If so, how long do you think it would take?